Oil-switch.



J. F. MBNNL "FIN.

OIL SWITCH.

APPLIUATION FILED D110. 30. 1907.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Hanna-sum 1.

J. F. MENNINGEN.

OIL SWITCH.

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JOSEPH F. MENNINGEN. 0F OAKLEY. OHIO. ASSIGNOR 'Id ALLIS-CHA'L MZERS COMPKNY,

A CORPORATION OF NEV! JERSEY. AND THE BULLOCK ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

orL-swxrcn.

,To all whom it my concern.

Be it known that I. JOSEPH 1. Hanna'- onx. citizen of the United States. residing at Oakley. in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio. have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOil-Switches. of which the following is a full. clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to switches for electric circuits.

It is the object of my present invention to provide a switch. especially one immersed in oil. which is simple in construction and operation and which will easily withstand the often excessive strains to which a switch subjected.

In carrying out my invention there is provided a switch having two swinging arms the free ends of which engage to close the circuit and separate by movementof both of the arms to open the circuit. The engaging contact surfaces of these arms are preferably spherical. thus increasing the area of the contact and also lining up the two arms in case of an v lack of adjustment. The swinging arms are pivoted b v ball and socket joints. In the arrangement shown there are three sets of the swinging arms above described. one for each phase of a three phase circuit. and these three sets are preferably in separate removable oil tanks though arranged to be operated by a. single handle.

The various novel features of my invention will appear from the description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figures 1 and Qare longitudinal sections through the switch showing it in closed and open positions respectively, and are taken substantially on the lines 11 and 2-2 of Figs. 3 and 4 respectively; Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections substantially on the lines 3-3 and 44.of Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, some of the parts in Fig. 3 being shown in section on other lines; Fig. 5 is a front view of the switch. operating mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

n the arrangement shown. the sup ortmg frame 10 of the switch is bolted to tie back of the switch-board 11. However, this frame may be located at anv suitable distance from the switch-boar and may be Specification 31' Letters Patent.

Application filed December 30, 1907.

Patented Dec. 5; 191-1.

Serial No. 408,551.

connected thereto by suitable connecting rods. A plurality of separate removable oil tanks 12 are attached tothebdttom of the horizontal plate 10 of thttrame 10. and in each of the oil tanks arelocated switclrparts lating bushings 15 through the horizon-' tal plate 10. are provided at the upper or outer ends with nuts 16 for connection to the mains of the circuit., Sockets 1? and 18 are screwed to the inner ends of the terminals 13 and 14 respectively. and with the nuts 16 lock the terminals antl hushings in place. Balls 19, and 2Q on the ends of the swinging arms 21 and 22 engage with the sockets 17 and 18 respectively. At the free ends of the arms 21 and 22 are a socket 23 and a ball 24 respectively, which are preferably similar in structure to the socket and ball 17 and 19 and serve as the separable contacting surface of 'the'sw-itchf Arcing tips 25 are in shunt tojthe ball and socket '24 and 23'and serve theusua'l purpose of Shunts Q6 are placed around arcing tips.

ball and the contacting surfaces of the socket joints at, the piyotalfetid-sfdfthe swinging arms. LinksQTand Qfiflartlyof insulating material.- are attached to the arms 21 and 22, near the pivotal ends of the latter, and aretpivoted together and to the stirrup29 at the lower end of the rod 29. Compression springs 30 are located between the arms21 and 22 and In on the links 27 and 28 respectively, an 'tend to separate the switch arms 21 and 22 and hold the balls 19 and 20in the sockets 17 and 18- respectively.

The various rods 29. which are of suitable and perhaps different lengths, are supported from the saddle piece 31 so that their lower ends are in substantial alinement. The saddle 31 is supported betweenguides 32; which extend upward from the horizontal plate 10 and are grooved at 33 for the reception of pins 34 in thesad'dle 31, thus preventing tilting of the latter. The upper,pin 34 extends horizontally through the saddle 31 and the up er ends of links 35, the lower ends of sai links bein pivoted to arms of bell-crank levers 36. ne of the links 35 has an extension 37 for cooperation with a set screw, 38 in the bell-crank lever 36 to limit the u ward movement of the saddle 31. The be -c1'-ank levers 36 are pivoted on the guides 32 and have their other ends attached to the fork 39, which is connected to the operatin handle 40 on the front of the switc -boar as by the connecting rod 41.

When the handle 40 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the switch is open as indi-. cated in Figs. '2 and 4. By movm the handle 40 into the position shown in i 1 the saddle 31 is ralsed and the ball an socket.

24 and 23-on the ends of the arms 22 and 21" are brou ht into engagement, as shown in Fi 3. he arcing tips 25 engagesli'ghtly be ore the ball and socket 24 and 23. If because of any inaccurac of adjustment or inequality of wear the all and socket atfirst fail to register exactly, the horizontal slots a in the stirrups 29 allow them to force each other into which they will do. en the ban e 40 reaches the'position shown in Fig. 1 fit is latched in such position by the latch 42, which is slidable vertically because of the in and slot connection 43 with its support mg frame 44, while the latter is rotatable about a pivot 45. The latch 42 is held down and in by theadjustable spring 46.

To, open the switch the handle 40 is pulled outward from the position shown in ig. 1, thus sliding the latch 42 upward against the spring 46, so that by the enga ement of the beveled lu'pper end of the latc and the 'in 47 the latch is disengaged from. the

andle 40. The spring 46 1s sufliciently stron to prevent the sprin s 30 from opening the switch while the etch 42 en ages the handle 40. In case of an overloa one, or perha s both, of the coils-48, which are in two 0 the three-phase mains of the sys- I osition to register,

tem respectively, lift their cores 49, as shown in Fig. 2, to tilt the frame 44 about its pivot and disen age the latch 42 from the handle 40, when t e springs 30 willopen the switch with a snap. The value of the current to which the coils 48 will respond maybe regulated by means of an adjustable support on which the cores 49 normally rest.

Many modifications may be made in the precise arrangement here shown and described, and I aim to cover-all such modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the following claims.

What I claim as new is 1. In a Y switch,v the combination 'of two movable contact arms which each swing in a ball and socket joint, the free ends of said arms'being provided with interfittingball and socket engaging surfaces, and means for moving saidarms to cause the engagement and disengagement of said surfaces.

. 2. In a switch, the combination of two movablecontact arms which each swing in a ball and socket joint, the free ends of said arms being provided with interfitting ball and socket engaging surfaces, and a common operating means connected to both of said .arms.

3; In a switch, the combination of two pivoted contact, arms, the free ends of which are movable into and out of engagement, a linkpivoted to each of said arms, a common operating means pivoted to said two links, and a spring acting between each link and the contact arm to which it is attached and tending to move such contact arm to separate it from the other contact arm.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH F. MENNINGEN.

Witnesses:

Geo. B. ScHLEY, FRED J. Kmsnr. 

